Connect

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing.” — John 15:5

Have you ever felt that moment of panic when your phone is on 0% battery, and you realize you left your charger at home? That desperate scrambling to find a way to power up is a reality most of us can relate to. That same urgency and anxiousness around having no power, is what we need to cultivate during this season of Lent—but in a spiritual sense.

Just as a phone without power is useless, our lives lose meaning when we are disconnected from God. Lent is our reminder to recognize when our spiritual battery is running low, to rekindle that deep awareness of our need for divine connection, and to plug into the true source of life—the Vine.

As I step into this season of Lent, I’ve made the decision to disconnect from social media so I can use this recovered time to intentionally spend time with God. Just as I rely on my phone daily, I’m convinced that my soul needs that same energy!
For many of us, our devices have become modern day idols. With so much of our time consumed by digital distractions, it’s easy to see how our spiritual connection can weaken without us even realizing it.

The Fruit of Connection
One loving thing about God is He never allows us to fake the funk. When we are disconnected from Him, it shows up in our everyday lives, sounding an alarm to our souls. It influences our habits, leading us to seek comfort in things that drain us rather than fill us. Disconnection isn’t just a private struggle; it manifests in the way we love, serve, and relate to God.

However, when we are connected to God, it not only transforms our relationship with Him but also enriches how we engage with ourselves, those closest to us, and our wider community. Lent is an invitation to recharge, transform and stay plugged in, ensuring that in our abiding we bear the fruit of the Spirit.  

Fruit-bearing isn’t easy or automatic, it requires pruning. Jesus, as the true Vine, supplies the nourishment, but as branches, we must remain attached to Him. Pruning may be uncomfortable, but it is necessary for growth. We must allow the Holy Spirit to remove what hinders us.  This may mean letting go of people, places and things that distract us from God so we can make room for a deeper connection.

The Weeds That Choke Our Connection
Many of us struggle spiritually because we’ve allowed weeds to grow in our lives unchecked, strangling our connection to the Vine. What are the weeds that threaten our spiritual health and our relationships?

•Unforgiveness: Holding on to past hurts; whether against ourselves or others creates distance between us and God. Unforgiveness chokes our ability to extend grace, suffocating the flow of love and reconciliation. But when we release forgiveness, it promotes personal healing and possible restoration of broken relationships.
Reflection: Is there someone—yourself or another—that you need to forgive so that your heart can remain open to God’s love and healing?

•Pride: When we think more highly of ourselves than we should, we resist correction and accountability. Pride keeps us from seeing our own flaws and fuels the need to be right rather than having a heart for doing what is right.  This hinders not only our spiritual growth but also our relationships.
Reflection:  In what areas of your life have you resisted correction or accountability, and how might humility draw you closer to God and others?

•Envy: Comparison poisons contentment. When we focus on what others have, we lose sight of what God has given us. Envy breeds division, fueling resentment rather than unity. Lent is an opportunity to uproot jealousy and replace it with gratitude, allowing our relationships to flourish and our intimacy with God to deepen.
Reflection:  How can you shift your focus from comparison to gratitude, recognizing and embracing the blessings God has already given you?

•Lust: When we prioritize self-gratification over God’s will, we drift from the Vine, seeking fulfillment in things that cannot truly satisfy us. Lust isn’t just about physical desires—it’s anything that lures our hearts away from God and distracts us from our divine purpose.
Reflection: What desires or distractions might be pulling your heart away from God, and how can you redirect them toward His purpose for you?

Lent: A Call to Reconnect
Lent is an opportunity to examine our hearts, clear out the weeds, and recommit to abiding in Christ. How do we cultivate a thriving connection?

1. Daily Meditation on God’s Word
Just as a phone requires a steady, consistent charge to function optimally, our hearts need a constant connection to God’s Word. Imagine if you only charged your phone for a few minutes each day but expected it to last all week, you’d soon find yourself frustrated by how quickly it dies. Likewise, a sporadic spiritual connection will leave us frustrated, drained and powerless.

Meditation on God’s truth is like leaving your phone on the charger overnight, it ensures a full charge. When we start our day plugged into God’s word, we walk with greater clarity, purpose, and peace. His Word becomes the guiding light that directs our thoughts, speech and actions. Making meditation a consistent part of our daily routine keeps our spiritual battery full.

2. Prayer and Stillness
Most of us have experienced poor cell reception—those moments when we try to make a call, but the connection keeps dropping. Sometimes, the problem isn’t the phone itself, but the environment we’re in. If we’re surrounded by forest or other interference, the signal is weak.

The same is true spiritually. If our lives are cluttered with distractions, constant busyness, and competing voices, it becomes difficult to hear God. Prayer and stillness remove the interference, allowing us to tune into God’s voice with clarity. It’s in the quiet moments that we hear His guidance, receive His peace, and gain the strength to walk in obedience.
Think of prayer as resetting your phone when it starts glitching. Sometimes, we need to power down from the noise of the world to realign with God’s frequency.

3. Studying God’s Word
Have you ever ignored a phone update, only to find that your apps start malfunctioning? Without regular updates, even the best technology becomes outdated, slow, and ineffective.

The same is true for our spiritual lives. If we neglect the study of God’s Word, we risk operating on an outdated system. This makes us vulnerable to relying on old knowledge, incomplete understanding, and a weak understanding of our faith. But when we consistently engage with Scripture, we receive fresh insight, deeper wisdom, and renewed strength for every season of our lives.

God’s Word is the nourishment that keeps our spirits thriving. It’s the software update that keeps our hearts in sync with His purpose. By dedicating time to studying the Bible, we allow His truth to shape our thinking, change our behavior, and prepare us to bear fruit that lasts.

Abiding in the Vine
Just as a phone must remain plugged in to recharge, we must remain in Christ to experience renewal. How many of us have tried to make a call on a dead phone? And yet, how often do we attempt to navigate life disconnected from God? Our purpose, our relationships, and our very identity depend on staying connected to the Vine.

Lent is an invitation to step away from self-reliance and walk into full dependence on God. It’s a call to lay down the things that drain us and to rest in the One who sustains us. It’s about being vulnerable enough to allow the Holy Spirit to prune us so that we may not only survive—but thrive.

Will you abide in Him?

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, in this season of Lent, draw my heart closer to You. Help me to desire connection with You more than I long for the temporary distractions that can never truly satisfy me. Reveal to me the areas in my life where weeds have grown that are choking out my connection to You. Give me the courage to surrender to Your pruning, even when it is uncomfortable, knowing that every cut makes room for new growth. Transform my heart so I can abide in You and bear fruit that reflects Your love, grace, and truth. May my life be a testimony of a branch fully connected to the Vine, thriving in Your purpose. In Jesus’ name, Amen.